To say I love taking photos is an understatement. I will always be the person asking people to get together so I can take a photo to remember a moment. In doing so, I have captured some incredible family photos and moments that we can never experience again. But once you have the moment what do you do with it? Most people share it on social media, but after that don’t do much with their photos.
If you’re like me and your camera/computer is full of images you’ve taken over the last few years here are 10 ways to show them off!
Print Them
Having your family’s best moments locked on your phone is not beneficial. Sadly, no one is printing their photos and they should be. Every few months print out your favorites. It costs less than you would think. Shutterfly does it for free. You just need to cover the shipping.
If your camera were to die it would be devastating to your family to not have the moments you have captured. Print your favorites and store them in a photo box. It’s nice to have a physical copy to look back on and also to pass on to your family in the future.
Print them Polaroid Style
Polaroid has a printer that allows you to print a digital image onto a Polaroid-style film. Fuji has a couple of options as well that give you that vintage look. The outcome is similar to what you will get from a classic polaroid camera, but perfect if you are looking for that nostalgic look we had in the 80s. These are great gift ideas for individuals who love to take photos and display them in different ways! Plus, there are so many creative ways to display them.
Create A Photobook
Every year I make a ‘year book’ of our family’s adventures. Some people who take more photos will do a monthly book. I think that would be too many to keep track of so I gather all of the photos from the year and make a highlight book. It is big(135 pages) and it takes me a full Sunday to put together but it’s worth it. They’re also great to look back on.
Each year for Xmas I make one for my mom so she has her own copy to look back on. Depending on where you build them, they continue to live on the photo site so you can reprint them in the future if you need to make a copy for your kids or family.
Wall Photo Tiles
Image via CVS
Over the past few years, I have started printing our favorite photos on wall tiles. These are so easy to arrange and they look awesome. I started with Mix Tiles and then moved to another company that has a frame-free option. Both styles look nice on various walls around the house and they are easy to add on to as we capture more moments.
Whether you choose a frame or create a feature wall with a variety of individual frames, photo collages are the best way to show off a large number of photos.
Some photo printing places will allow you to create a digital collage that can be framed or you can place individual images on the wall and add to them as you create more memories.
50 States Photo Map
This 50 States Photo Map from ETSY makes a great gift for anyone who likes to travel around the United States. Display your favorite memory from each state and try to fill the map!
Photo Puzzle
If your family enjoys solving puzzles make your next one of your best adventures. You will also find new details in your photo as you work to put it back together!
Digital Picture Frame
I bought my husband a digital picture frame for his desk 10 years ago and he still loves having it updated so our best moments can play across his desk all day.
The best part is it’s easy to refresh with new moments and it creates a slideshow so you always have a new memory on the screen.
Tree Ornaments
Images VIA Personal Creations
Pick your best image of the year and turn it into an ornament to hang on your tree. Start a tradition where your tree is filled with your best moments from years past.
Customize Your Own Viewfinder Slides
If you have a view master you can customize the slide with your family’s vacation to be viewed by the classic toy. Uncommon Goods has a variety of unique theme ideas for the vintage circular slides that are perfect for all occasions. whether you are looking for a sweet relationship reel to celebrate your anniversary or Valentine they have you covered. This idea is also great to commemorate big moments in your family like a wedding, pet, or graduation. In the same theme you can also create your own photo flashlight so you can instantly project family pics and other favorite snapshots onto every surface you can find.
Photo Blocks
Whether you are making blocks your kids can play with or fancier ones you can display around the house, photo blocks are a great way to display your photos as they have so many sides. Every time you flip them you get a new image. They can be stacked up so that you have a variety of images you can show at any time. You can buy wooden blocks and make these yourself or order cubes and customize them based on the time of year.
